Rufus and Gibbons are closing in towards town. About ten minutes ago, they saw an explosion happened near the center of the town. Five minutes before that, they saw the silhouette of green smoke rising from the western woods. They question themselves why would there be soldiers in the woods that are in need of a search party or even help, and even then, with that thought alone rose their worries ever more. They stop at the edge of town after seeing a young apprentice magician running out, still screaming, “The goblins are coming! The goblins are coming!”
He stopped before Rufus and Gibbons as he just recognized who they were. Gibbons pointed her rod at the apprentice. “You there! Tell us what’s going on! Where are the goblins?! How many of them are there?! When was this happening?! Why are you not in town defending it?! What has happened to the school or the rest of your fellow apprentices?! If anything happened to my sister while you ran off, so help me I will…..” Rufus intervened before Gibbons started to get worse on the apprentice.
“Calm down young apprentice, just tell us what is going on.” Rufus said sincerely.
“Uh… Umm… I… Right!... Earlier we as for the rest of the class were in the practice field near the lecture hall, we were doing our daily practices. Then suddenly these goblins came and k.. k.. Killed two town guardsmen. After that… Me and apprentice Thompson ran. Thompson got shot down right next to me…” Stuttered the apprentice as he looked at both Gibbons and Reeves.
Gibbons gritted her teeth, “You… What?! You ran from your classmates and left them for dead?! You… What of Korahk?! The rest of the class?! And if my sister is hurt, so help me I will…”
Rufus intervened again. “I think we’ve heard enough, thank you young apprentice for the report, but for its best that you come with us. I know this is new and hard on you but this is also the same for everyone else around you. We may need your help now so please summon up your courage to fend off these forest dwelling invaders.” Rufus finished with raising his fist to boost the confidence of the apprentice.
Gibbons kept her head high while glaring as if she’s also egging the apprentice on with the thought, ‘This is your duty!’ The apprentice looked from Rufus with a little patriotism, to Gibbons with fear for his life. Not fear from the goblins, but fear from her.
“We all joined the military of this country for many reasons; most of us have the same. Defending our loved ones is the most common one of all. So please, look deep down in your heart and remember what it is that made you join.” Rufus said while reaching his hand out.
The apprentice looked past his hand while remembering that he mainly joined to gain benefits for his sick parents. He remembered the risk of possible war as well and his determination of joining anyways if it led to that point.
“You’re right Sergeant Reeves, I will fight off the goblins!” The young apprentice said with a redeeming smile. He grabs hold of Rufus’ hand and Rufus pulls him onto his horse in front of him.
“Then let us be off to the Mage’s Academy!” Rufus said while Gibbons kept a stoic look on her face.
“Young apprentice, what is your name?” Rufus asked not just out of curiosity, but out of lowering tension and easier to address him as such.
“Iuke, Apprentice Iuke Winston.” The young apprentice answered as his hood started to fall from the horseback ride revealing him to have short red hair, green eyes and pale white skin that has hardly seen the light of day.
“Well apprentice Winston, since you’re with us, it’s best we find out a little more about each other so we can work together as a team. Such as; what kind of magic can you do? If you have any other skills that would be necessary…!” Before Rufus could finish, and before Iuke could respond, Rufus spotted Karr exiting the unguarded stone building.
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Rufus immediately halted his horse and stared at Karr as if he saw a ghost.
“No way…” He whispered while he got off his horse and walked slowly towards Karr.
Iuke was puzzled for a moment, but couldn’t help be awe inspired by the seven foot tall man with scars on his face showing signs of his years of experience in combat. Gibbons of course halted her horse shortly after Rufus did, she spotted Karr a little after. Normally she would be irritated that the stone building isn’t guarded or the fact that some stranger is walking out from there, but she couldn’t help but wonder, ‘Have I seen this guy before? If so where?’. Karr noticed Rufus approaching him, so Karr walked casually towards him with a smile as if they’ve been old friends for a long time.
“General Karr? But how, I thought you were dead…” Rufus asked in surprise.
“I never died, I just… I was gone for a long time. I suppose you can say it’s a secret mission.” Karr said with a warm smile.
“A mission that the council sent you upon? Must be something very important especially since you’ve been gone for ten years…” Rufus said, still not believing in what he’s seeing.
“The council… No… They’re not to be trusted…” Karr said grimly.
“But General…” Rufus stuttered as Karr interrupted him.
“I’m not general anymore! Not for this country nor a tool by the council… Those fools will bring ruin to this country…” Karr muttered while looking at the ground.
Before Rufus could question Karr anymore of what he meant, their reunion was interrupted by an explosion on the other side of the stone building. Shortly afterwards a huge beast emerged from the rubble.
The beast is forty feet tall from his four legs to his back. He is about sixty feet long, and very muscular. His fur starts at its base as brown, ends with a hint of bluish purple strands. His hind legs have hooves for feet, his front legs have claws. He has a white mane around his face like a lion, with the same color of hair going from his head to the end of his tail. He has two horns on his head, one on each side. His eyes are bright amber orbs with no pupils whatsoever. As he breaths, a faint glimpse of steam pours out of his mouth.
The beast looks around, and then it looks towards the rubble that it came from. It continues to stare at the rubble for some time. It speaks in a loud echoing voice, with a language that is not in the common tongue. A voice, not as loud but loud enough, shouts back to the beast in a similar tongue as well.
“I suppose that is my que to be off, I have places to be…” Karr said as he strode off to the east.
“Gen…Er I mean…Karr! Are you responsible for all of this?!” Rufus asked with desperation, hoping that the man he used to idolized and served would not, but the hints and events up to this point say otherwise.
Karr stopped, and closed his eyes. “For the sake of a greater country…No…A greater world…” He opens his eyes and looks towards the beast that is having a conversation with whoever the other voice is, ‘even though Karr knows its Glenn’.
“Some sacrifices must be made…” Karr turned back to face the east again as he strode off.
“Then… You truly are beh-.” Rufus was interrupted by Karr.
“Reeves, you have a duty to uphold right? That Beast will run amok soon; you must hurry before it’s too late.” Karr said as he continued to walk off.
“The whole time you two were talking, I was using my magic to see if he’s lying or not…Everything he said is unfortunately true no matter how much you want to deny it…” Gibbons said with a saddened look on her face towards Rufus.
“What should we do sergeant?” Iuke asked Rufus as Rufus gritted his teeth and balling up his fists. Gibbons shot a condescending glare at Iuke, as Rufus looked towards the beast.
“We’ll have to leave Karr alone for now, since he’s not really attacking the town… As for the Beast… I’ll handle it, the two of you should check up on the other apprentices of the academy and maybe head back to the Beast after you’re done.” Rufus said with bitter remorse of letting Karr go.
“Understood Sergeant Reeves, then we will be off. Let’s go apprentice Winston.” Gibbons said while remaining calm.
“Ummm I don’t know how to drive a horse…” Iuke said nervously.
“Ugh!” Gibbons grunted while thinking, ‘Useless!’. She rides her horse closer to Iuke’s horse and grabs his reins. With a kick to the horse’s side, she rides off, with Iuke’s horse following behind. As Rufus watches them head south towards the center of the town, he draws his claymore and turns to look at the beast. Then he dashes towards the other side of the building.